1883.] PROF. J. VON HAAST ON ZIPHIUS NOV^ ZEALAND!^. 591 



cient portion of the skin left intact to show that the coloration was 

 exactly the same as that of the specimens previously examined, and 

 that the animal was seamed and scarred in exactly the same manner 

 as the two females formerly described. 



On examination the animal proved to be a male, 20 feet long, 

 apparently full grown, the terminal epiphyses being thoroughly 

 ankylosed to the bodies of the vertebrae. It is thus evident that 

 the males not only attack the females, or perhaps, more correctly, 

 coerce them in a violent and painful manner to accept their 

 attentions, but that they fight also amongst themselves in the same 

 savage mode. 



The two teeth, where they rise above the gums, measure 1"27 

 inch in height, and are here at their base and in their largest antero- 

 posterior diameter 1-25 inch broad. For about ^ of an inch the 

 crown is devoid of dentine, and shows that it has been well used. 

 The teeth are conical, and there is just an indication of a slight 



Fig. 2. 



Lower jaw of Zijphius nova eealandioB, upper view ; one third natural size. 



ridge, by which the inner side is divided from the outer side; but 

 there is nothing like the acute ridge with two lateral facets, as de- 

 scribed by Dr. Hector in similar teeth, exhibited in either of them. 

 In illustration of these notes I forward a side and an upper view of 

 the front portion of the lower jaw, belonging to the specimen under 

 review. 



Thus we have here a confirmation of my previous suggestion that 

 the males of Ziphius nova-zealandice have much larger teeth than the 

 females, and that the scarring and seaming has been done by the 

 former, both to males and females indiscriminately. 



I 



39' 



